Sharing a liturgical painting, a visual meditation on the mystery of the Mother Mary bearing Jesus in her womb and the priest bearing the Holy Mysteries in his hands. I was inspired by the sacred moment in the liturgy when, accompanied by candles and Marvahasas, the priest processes westward toward the congregation while holding the Holy Mysteries, praying: ‘May the mercy of our great Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, be upon the bearers of these mysteries, upon those who have offered them, upon those who receive them, and upon all who have labored and have shared and share in them.’

It is profound to see that the qualities of bearing, offering, receiving, labour and sharing the Holy Mysteries are perfectly embodied in the Mother of God, the Theotokos, who bore Christ Himself, and inspires us too to bear, offer, receive, and share in these Holy mysteries through the Holy Eucharist.

Here are some thoughts on these qualities, 

Bearing: Mary physically bore Christ in her womb, becoming the vessel through which the Word of God took on flesh. This is mentioned in Luke 1:31, where the angel Gabriel tells her, And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. (Luke 1:31). By bearing Christ, Mary becomes the first to carry the Divine Word, symbolizing the Church’s call to bear Christ.

Offering: Mother Mary offered Jesus to the world, presenting Him in the Temple, “When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” (Luke 2:22). This symbolizes her offering of Christ for the redemption of the world, just as the faithful offer the Gifts during the Divine Liturgy.

Receiving: Mother Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.'” (Luke 1:38). Mother Mary received the message of the Incarnation with faith and obedience, as depicted in her response to the angel Gabriel. Expressing on this, St Ephrem writes, “He entered the womb through her ear.“ Through her acceptance, she inspires every believer who is called to receive Christ, through Holy Eucharist.

Labouring and Sharing: Mother Mary’s labor was not just in the physical sense of childbirth but also in her spiritual, emotional, and active participation in God’s salvific plan. She labored in her role as the Mother of Jesus, nurturing Him, and sharing in His ministry. Her presence and actions throughout Christ’s life demonstrate her deep engagement in His mission. At the foot of the cross, she stands as a witness to His sacrifice (John 19:25). This sharing in mystery of Christ exemplifies how every believer is invited to participate in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, sharing in His mission of salvation through the Eucharist and the life of the Church.

This sacred moment in the liturgy mirrors the mystery of the Theotokos, who bore Christ, and our call to receive Him in the Eucharist. In this context, St. John Chrysostom’s writes, ‘You do not see Him in a crib but on the altar; it is not the woman that holds Him but the standing priest.’ Similarly, Dionysius Bar Salibi writes, ‘As by the will of the Father and by His Holy Spirit the Word was incarnate from the Virgin without change, so by the will of the Father and the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, He perfects the bread as His body and the wine as His blood.’

In this painting, I seek to explore the deep mysteries of Orthodox tradition, where the Divine Presence is made manifest both in the Church and in the arms of the Holy Mother.

Regards
Fr Rijo Geevarghese